Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 4: Air
by Thugaminty
Summary: Book 4.  Aang and Katara have a newly constructed relationship.  However, can this be broken by a new threat to the 4 Nations?  Meanwhile, Zuko searches for his mother, Ursa.


I hope you enjoy. I don't care how many other Book 4s have been written, I think mine should be the true Book 4. Please read and enjoy. XD

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Book 4

Air

Chapter 1:

Healing of the Sea

Aang's body shivered. His muscles ached. His hands were loosely cupped on Katara's waist. Inexperienced, Aang tried to be…Loving? His girl was just inches from him. His girl! The ever-present elements jostled him. He was happy. Happier than any monk or Firelord on a coronation.

No, he was Aang! He was the happiest boy alive in his own right, a master of the elements, and a master of peace and balance. Before him pink and red streaked his vision like paint and his blood gushed. His cheeks turned red as Katara deepened the contact. Never has Aang felt such…pink. Aang liked pink. "Mmh…" Never has Aang uttered such a groan in his life.

Katara's eyes opened and light seemed to shine from her blue orbs. Aang met her eyes with his grays. As their kiss was held the flesh of their lips wrought memories of themselves from long ago. Aang entered a trance, as did Katara.

_ "Katara stop! We don't know what he is!" Sokka yelled at her sibling. Katara ignored her elder brother. She cautiously continued on the bobbing snow. When Sokka arrived at the ledge Katara took his water tribe club and hacked at the ice. _I must get to that boy! _She thought. On the fourth strike water gushed out and spewed. Splitting the ice, a boy in orange and red robes fell, unconscious. Katara caught him. They looked into each others eyes, like an ocean crashing on rocks, gray and blue collided. _

Katara's and Aang's kiss deepened, Katara pressing the kiss, her hand cupping Aang's cheek, and her cheeks turned a deep red. Her chestnut hair fell into his face and hers.

_Time moved forward, and Aang saw Azula, mad Azula, with her face contorted in madness, her life like lightning, wild, uncontrolled. Aang saw the lightning with horror in his eyes, and knew what was to come. He took one last desperate look at Katara, even though his Avatar State tried to deny it. Her hair was wild, her sad expression locked onto his. He saw her eyes widen and cry out his name: "Aang!" Like a sword being wrought into his back, the lightning buried itself in him and Aang howled. _Katara…_ Was his last thought. _

Aang pressed onto Katara, feeling her surprise. Katara's eyes opened and widened as she saw tears streak Aang's face and his eyebrows met in an arch. His lips quivered. Katara smiled on his lips. "I love you," She said. Aang heaved a sigh and let it all out. He bawled in her arms, just crying. Katara pulled him close and cried a little herself. She let him cry on her shoulder. "Let it out, Aang, all of it. I'm here for you." Aang cried of his losses, his life, his whole existence. He cried of the men he killed, his past, and his deeds. But most of all he cried to let off the pressure and the weight.

He cried of joy as well.

Katara held Aang in her arms and rocked back and forth as she looked over the bridge into the setting sun and the city. Katara forced Aang to look into her eyes. Aang felt the pink again and red hotness streaked his cheeks. He wiped his cheeks with his wrist. "I love you too, Katara." They hugged and joined hands and straightened themselves up. Blushing, the two new lovers entered the tea house again, refreshed.

"This does look like all of you! No joke! Hey, Aang, this looks like Appa right?" Sokka questioned.

Aang looked at the picture, still a little dazed. "It looks like a bundle of hay."

Aang planted his feet into the ground and gave the picture a firm look-over. "Is that Suki?"

Sokka fumed on the spot. "No, it's Iroh!" Iroh sipped his tea and glanced at Aang with a delighted smile. The entire group laughed. "So what now?" Toph shifted in her space in the corner, perturbed. Katara spoke.

"I think our hero needs some rest. He has been through a lot, and he just needs a bed. For us, we just relax and enjoy our victory!" Katara smiled, brushing hair out of her face. Everyone cheered. With a silent half smile, Aang tiredly walked away, still blushing, and found his bed. Disgarbing, he yawned and laughed to himself. He stretched and his blue-laced arms almost touched the ceiling. He felt sore in muscles he never thought imagined and he felt the hole where he was struck.

"Azula," he cursed aloud. Staring out of his curtained window blankly, he fell into a dazing dream of weariness, still standing. He relaxed as he felt soft, soothing, farmiliar hands creeping around his waist. Katara pulled him close. Aang didn't know what to feel. He had a new girlfriend, he thought. His first girlfriend. Zuko and Sokka all had theirs, but now was his time. Aang stumbled shyly. "I uh…Katara…you…" Katara shushed him with her finger. "Shhh, sleep. You need rest." Katara's eyebrows arched with concern. Aang was calmed, but tried to deflate his pride over Katara. "What about you?" Aang stood up straight but to his dismay, his muscles failed him and he fell on the bed. Katara laid him down on the bed.

"For years, Aang, you have helped us all. You have helped me, Sokka, Toph, and everyone of this land. The nations can live in peace because of you. Now it is time we helped you, Aang." Aang got a pang of joy to hear the laughter of his comrades in the other room. His eyes half closed. His attention was then redirected once more to his beautiful Katara. "Let us help you." Katara kissed him on the nose. The two laughed and Aang squeezed Katara's hand. "Thank you." He said. Katara smiled and got up. "Sweet dreams." She closed the door. Aang let the setting sunshine bathe his face and his eyes closed happily. He fell into a very deep sleep.

Katara clasped all of her hair in one fell swoop and knotted it on the top of her head. After constructing her hair loopies, her thoughts turned to Aang. _He has done so much good. But how can we repay him? _Katara looked at herself in the mirror. _Toph was right. What's next? _Katara stood, somewhat elated to see all of her friends happy, but naturally concerned for Aang. Katara slid past the doorway, quiet as to not wake Aang. She blushed. _Aang. _

Without a sound she entered the loud, boisterous room. "I'm telling you, he won't say!" Zuko thundered. "How can he not say? He is in prison now. He has nothing to lose!" Uncle Iroh sipped his Jasmine tea. "Because uncle, he must be playing with us! He wants all the revenge he can get from his cell! He can't torment us any other way, right?" The group nodded at the new Firelord. Zuko desperately wanted to know where his mother was. Toph spoke. "And what of Azula?" Katara stepped from the shadows. "Katara!" Zuko ran to Katara and hugged her. He was happy to see her. An awkward silence soon fell over the room. "It's nice to see you too, Zuko." Katara gestured in the fire greeting. "But hear me out. Zuko knows, but I guess no one else does. I chained Azula to a grating near the Palace."

The group roared in protest and excitement. Sokka yelled: "Well how can we know that she didn't escape with her epic sparkiness!"

Everyone shook their heads at Sokka. "What?" He pleaded. Katara spoke, "I believe our next move is to discover what has happened to her. Tomorrow morning, Aang, Zuko, Sokka, Toph and I will go to the palace and see." Uncle Iroh could no longer contain his elation. "Tonight we shall have a feast, in honor of the end of this war! Enough talk of that dreaded woman!" The group cheered and they all worked together to prepare the best feast in all four nations. Meanwhile, Aang was in a cloudy dreamstate.

_Firelord Zuko stood on top of a massive mound of dead bodies, each one the farmiliar faces of his comrades and allies, and then he saw monk Giatso, a skeleton walking toward him. He had no choice but to use firebending. As jets of flame sprouted like wildflowers from Aang's arms, and charred monk Giatso. As Giatso got closer his body dusted into ashes, the monk's hand touching Aang's chest as if saying: Help me, Aang. _

"Ahhhhhhhh!" Aang flew upright in his bed. His body was incased in sweat, and he was angry. He breathed fire all over the room and charred the walls. He cried. He just sat there and cried. Getting up from his bawl, Aang heard sounds of cooking and smells of delectable vegetables filled his essence. Then the next smell really roused him: Katara's smell of icy strawberries and warm Jing-sing tea. Aang left his room and followed her scent to where everyone was. Zuko was cooking meats and bread with fire, and he smiled at Aang. "Good morning." Aang said good morning to everyone except Katara. He was a little anxious around her. All the others said their hellos' as well.

"How can I help, guys?" Aang pleaded. Katara turned to Aang. She stopped her Tea brewing and carrot topping with Iroh. "Come with me, Aang." Unable to say no, Aang followed her out of the pavilion. Her hair blew towards him in the wind. Aang thought: _Where could we possibly be going? _Katara descended the long steps into a large basin pool, where a beautiful waterfall cascaded down. Katara turned to Aang. She smiled her warm smile. "Want to go for a swim, Aang? I think you need it." Aang recoiled and almost fell.

"Wait! You want me to…to swim with you…bath…" Katara ran up to Aang and kissed him, holding for a few seconds. Her blue eyes locked onto his. "You smell like a rabid beaver-skunk. You need a bath. Here…" Katara helped Aang get undressed. He was naked but Katara closed her eyes so Aang could get in the water. Aang's cheeks stung red. Katara undressed too, and it took all of Aang's willpower not to peek. She was in the water. The couple floated in the water for a few seconds and stared at the stars in the night. The darkness shadowed their bodies. "Did you sleep well?" Aang shook his head and looked at Katara with seriousness. "I dreamed that I burned Monk Giatso." Katara had her simple face of shock on.

"Oh, Aang, I'm so sorry." Aang spoke, "Don't be, it's fine. I expected dreams like this to happen." He closed his eyes and put his mouth underwater. He produced bubbles. Aang cleaned himself and tried not to show his body. Why was he so shy? After the clean the two swam out and enjoyed the water and the night. After their escapade the two dressed and joined everyone for the feast. Jasmine tea flowed and laughter brightened. The night spread on and dawn crept over the pavilion. But the happiness was shattered when Azula shot lightning through the tent. Her mad laughter echoed through the pavilion. "Die Avatar!" Aang had no choice but to fight and spoil this glorious new day.

Aang tried his best to fend her off. They took it outside on the patio. Lightning shot and water and earth rumbled. Azula was determined to kill him. Zuko joined in as well. "This is my fight as is yours, Avatar." Zuko, having, new found strength, hammered Azula with fire. Eventually the two benders defeated her. Azula kneeled on the stone patio. Sun shone on one side of her face. She was angry. "You have defeated me, Avatar, Firelord. This isn't the last of me. You two know. You will always know that I will always hunt you down!" Azula shot into the sky, lightning streaking the clouds and the sky. Darkness shadowed where she last stood. The two benders fell to the concrete and sighed. Picking themselves up, they made their way into the pavilion. The rest of the feast was silent. "I think we should follow her," Sokka chimed in. Aang stood. "No." Katara protested, "Why Aang?"

"Because. She can't hurt us. What I'm saying is this, Azula is powerless to us. If we fend her off for long enough, she will give up. We are all powerful benders!"

"Except me…" Butted in Sokka. "Yes, except you."

"I say we wait."

And with that the group headed all to their own places, and Aang and Katara went to talk. The two stood in the hall. "Aang, Azula is back. We can't just wait!" Kataras's eyes were alight with adrenaline. She loved Aang, and respected him, but sometimes his wishes got them into trouble. Aang was a little scared, hurt that he might've hurt Katara. "Listen Aang, this is real stuff. She can't be just roaming around the four nations, destroying as she pleases! That is what she does!" Aang dipped his head in shame. "Aang…" Katara held him close and stroked his back. "I just want peace for once…" Aang and Katara hugged in the sunlight, and comforted each other.


End file.
